INDIANAPOLIS — Ind. Sen. Eddie Melton has been added as a co-author on a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child present, after one of his constituents reached out with their approval.
“I realized a lot of children can’t defend themselves or speak up for themselves when they’re in that situation,” Melton said.
Melton said he wanted to create a discussion with the bill and added his support for it.
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Anyone convicted of smoking in a vehicle with a child aged 6 or younger would face a Class D infraction. On a person’s fourth offense in a year, it would become a Class A infraction.
Melton said the fees and fines will be vetted more as lawmakers discussed the bill, but he supports the idea of making kids safer when they’re riding in a vehicle.
If passed, Indiana would be the 10th state to establish a similar law. According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, the other nine states include:
- Arkansas (For a child under 14)
- Maine (For a child under 16)
- Utah (For a child under 16)
- California (For a child under 18)
- Oregon (For a child under 18)
- Vermont (For a child under 9)
- Louisiana (For a child under 13)
- Puerto Rico (For a child under 18)
- Virginia (For a child under 8)
